Alrighty. Your Intentions Are Mine (and for fun, share your predictions!)


Okay, dear readers, we've reached 36 and a half weeks here.
I would love it if you'd let me have any special intentions for labor and please, please don't be shy.  I'll be printing them up to keep with me when it's time to birth this babe.  This is actually incredibly helpful for me to get outside myself and do the labor thing well.  So, really, you're helping me.  Put 'em in the comments or on the FB page or you can email me privately at betterthaneden1@yahoo.com.

And just for fun and if you want to play, you're welcome to guess the stats of the newest Eden bebe - birthday, gender, weight, and whatever else you want to throw in there :)  Heck, I may just need your help with a name!  We have a few ideas but nothing set.  Names are the HARDEST!
I don't have any special prizes or anything…but maybe I'll think of something?  

Anyway here's the history:
John Paul - born at 39+1 weeks; 6 lbs. 15 oz.
Michael - born at 38+6 weeks; 6 lbs. 15 oz.
David - born at 39+1; 6 lbs. 15 oz. (no, I'm not kidding!)
Luke - born at 39+4 weeks; 8 lbs. 3 oz. (breaking the mold, that one)
All of the male variety.

This pregnancy:
This baby's 40 week mark is May 23rd.  
Pregnancy has been harder in some ways - more nausea, worse skin, more heartburn, more teary...which was leading me to think girl but the last few weeks I've been feeling pretty similar to the others so I may be switching back to boy.  I was carrying differently in the beginning but now look pretty much the same as the others.  I suppose most of the differences could all be attributed to me just getting old… ;)  Conception date is a little earlier from the others and would lead me to think a greater chance of girl.   In short?  I have no idea.  BUT, just to be abundantly clear, I have zero preference as to gender.  Really.  This baby is already who he or she is and in no way shape or form would I ever ever ever want them to be something they are not.  Really.  I have very little patience for some of the comments people make about their preference for the gender of my kids.  #steppingoffsoapbox  I have been thinking this one will be earlier but that could totally be all in my head.  Am I forgetting any other useful info?

Okay, let me have em and please keep me in your prayers, too, for a healthy, happy, holy birth.  I'd really appreciate it :)

There she is in all her awkward selfie glory...

41 comments

  1. You look so beautiful. I will be praying for you; if you could keep us in your intentions that would be fantastic as we start our move from St Lawrence county, NY to San Diego, CA. We really need the navAL base to have a house waiting for us.

    Again, you look so lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maybe I am crazy but those baby boys all seem so very small! My 4 boys are all around 9-10 pounds; then again they were all over the 42 week mark, too.

    I will go with a boy at 7lb 3 oz and May 22nd because they is my ideal day to have a baby- the feast of St Rita!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You look beautiful! I am praying for you and will continue praying! Please remember me in your intentions that we will have the gift of another child. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hear you on the gender thing! I have five kids (boy, boy, girl, boy, boy) with number six due in October. Everyone seems to have an opinion on our "poor" lone daughter, and asks if we are trying to get her a sister. Umm... No. This baby is a gift, and the gender of the baby is of no consequence to us! We love him/her just the same.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just tried to comment and it didn't go through...my apologies if this is a duplicate! My prediction is girl, a little late, heaviest yet. As for intentions, my husband graduates engineering school in 3 weeks and very much needs a job. Thank you for your prayers!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You look great! My due date was May 23rd last year so that's my exact guess for you...I went a week late which is no fun! If you could pray for a healthy pregnancy for one of my dear friends, and for friends dealing with infertility issues, that would be greatly appreciated. Praying for you too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cute hair! and cute you! I would be very grateful if you would continue to pray for all husbands and marriages. You are so kind to host specific prayers for the men around the feast of St. Joseph. Hmm, I think May 1st, (St. Joseph the worker) is too soon, so I'll guess May 13th for our Lady and how about 7lbs 8oz, the size of our smallest (-: maybe a girl, Anna Elizabeth. And I'll be keeping you in prayer!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Please pray for us to somehow find an affordable 12 passenger van and for my husband to find a good paying job. For me to be a more patient, loving, and understanding wife and mother, and for my children their vocations and for our little one in the womb. Prayers for you!!! I'm guessing boy or girl :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. We have the same due date! I will pray for your birthing time and ask that you pray for mine. My daughter was born at 41 weeks weighing 9 pounds 1 ounce so I am interested to see how big this boy will be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fun! I know a few other people all due right around that same week!

      Delete
  10. ok - I will go with May 25: girl: 6lbs 10oz (Julianne Elisabeth)

    just cuz that is my Julianne's info! (and really, you could use a Julianne - mine is a cute one!) and she would think it's a hoot if you had your first girl on her 11th birthday!

    many blessings
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  11. I guess May 19th. Girl. 7 lb. 4 oz. I think you should name her Elizabeth Grace. I have no idea what..that name just came to me.

    And you can pray for my intentions. For my the success of my husband's new business. That I can have the grace to be a good mother.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I will guess girl on May 27th. 8 lbs 1 oz. I continue to keep you in prayer!! Thank you for your prayers as well. Specific intentions-- for my mother who has dementia and we are discerning a move to a memory care home; for the right place to be made to us and peace for are family and friends with the decision. Also for my husband and I p-- for our marriage.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Looking beautiful:) {{}}
    voting for a boy, in the 8lb (cause that's small for me;)
    Let's see names, love names, cause you've already got the Catholic evergreen theme going I'll toss in there some other lovely ones; Francis, Joseph, Patrick, James, Nicholas, Anthony, Benedict.
    I could vote for a girl but not sure what names you like there, so playing safe;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ooh praying for a very happy delivery for you guys! My guess is a girl, 7 lbs, born at 38.5 weeks. :) As for a prayer intention, I'd ask that you pray that we DON'T deliver until June 11 and that baby is happy and healthy. We've got a pregnancy complication and that's the date that we're trying to get to. Also for several dear friends still battling infertility. Thank you so much! You should ask Kate at Sancta Nomina for some name suggestions! :) https://sanctanomina.wordpress.com/ She's got skills and comes up with some very classy names, which seems to be something you shoot for with your kids' names. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congratulations and will add you to my list, thank you :) Checking out that blog now…really neat!

      Delete
  15. My intention is for my first labor and delivery that will be this upcoming September. As a first time mom, the prospect is more than a little intimidating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prayers for you. You can totally do this and it is all so worth it. Are you planning on taking a good birth class (NOT the hospital one)? I HIGHLY recommend it as well as reading some great birth books and getting a doula. Shoot me a message if you'd like some specific help!

      Delete
  16. It's so close now. I vote GIRL on May 20th. 8lbs. Gianna? Catherine? Mary Junior? ;) Will you please pray for my husband's conversion? Thanks Mary! So excited for you!

    ReplyDelete
  17. you look beautiful! prayers for a holy happy birth indeed. If you could just remember my family's intentions as our next steps unfold i'd be so grateful. Thank you Mary!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm thinking you are having a girl. After three boys myself, I got all those comments, too. They ARE tiresome, and rude. Yeah, that's right, life would not be complete with a female baby so I'm going to keep trying. Sigh. I do think you are carrying low, and I always attribute that to girls, but that's probably hogwash. I think I carried my daughter the same as my sons, but I was sicker with her.

    I am predicting 39 weeks and 7 lbs. 5 oz. I have always been preferential to the name Simon Peter, but our last name does not sound good with Simon, so I never used it. As for girls, well, there are a whole lot of girl names. My daughter's name is Faith Frances (feminine of St. Francis of Assisi) and there are so many beautiful female saint names, you should have no trouble.

    I would appreciate prayers for my second son and future daughter-in-law who are going to be married on June 20...prayers for a beautiful Nuptial Mass, and a long and productive (ahem) marriage. Thank you!

    I'll keep you in my prayers, too!

    ReplyDelete
  19. May 23, boy, 7lbs2oz, Thomas Benedict, and praying for you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. May 23, boy, 7lbs2oz, Thomas Benedict, and praying for you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. May 6. Since that is my friend Betsy's birthday, Elizabeth Ann. If it's a boy, James Christopher. Blessings and good wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Intentions for all my friends and family struggling in their marriages. I'm guessing it's a girl (50% chance) and her name will be a variant of Mary... Marianne, Marie, Maria.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Ok, here we go!

    Girl. 7lbs 11 oz, 40 weeks and 3 days. :)

    As for names... hmmm... Well is my date is correct that is the feast of Saint Madeline Sofie. So something like that if it is a girl. For a boy.... how about Andrew.

    Praying for a safe and happy delivery! God bless

    ReplyDelete
  24. I'm guessing a boy. May 14. 8 lbs 3 oz (just to keep some kind of pattern going with your babies' birth weights :-))

    For a boy: Francis Marion or Benedict Xavier
    For a girl: Margaret Mary or Adelaide Marie

    If you would pray for the upcoming birth of our fourth child, I would really appreciate it! My due date is also May 23rd :-) We are planning our first home birth!! I am very excited about this, but have experienced some anxiety with regard to the pain I know is coming. My last birth was very intense: labor lasted less than two hours but was quite painful. Anyway, your prayers would be so very appreciated! I will be keeping you in my prayers as well. Would you also pray for the conversion of my midwife (she has starts looking into the Church!!!), for my sisters- and brothers-in-law that have fallen away from the Church, finding a different job for my husband, and for my mother-in-law who is battling cancer? Thank you Mary!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, how neat! Yes, I can definitely relate and will be praying for you and your birth and all your intentions. So many babies due around that time!

      Delete
  25. You don't wan a girl with all those boys?!?! I kid, I kid. I am going girl though. A week before due date.
    As far as prayers, my sister is on a long road of single mother hood, very young, tough battle ahead. If you can pray that she has wise discernment when it comes to the baby daddy, and that they make good decisions together ;)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh, well I have a May 26 baby myself and the day treated me well so let's say baby is coming then. I'm going to go with boy. 8 lbs even. :) I think the name will come to you when you need it. As for intentions, continued health for my children would be great.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm guessing boy, 7 lb, 11 oz...May 23. No ideas on names.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'm guessing girl, on Mother's Day, 8 lbs 8oz named after St. Margaret of Antioch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I forgot my intentions. Please pray for my family.

      Delete
  29. You are smoking hot. I'm guessing girl, may 17 (our anniversary, though may 18 is St Pope JP birthday, I think) at 7 lbs 8 oz. her name shall be Emerson Grace because my husband won't let me use it 😭

    ReplyDelete
  30. Forgot my prayer intention -- grace and healing for aging parents. Names are Keith and Kaye, Lyle and Janet.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh, Mary, you look so beautiful! I will continue to pray for you to have a happy, holy and healthy birth! I'm going to guess a girl, May 17th (it's my son's birthday) or St JP II's birthday on May 18th! As for names, I love your name, Mary, Maria, Margaret, Gabriella, Therese, Teresa, Gianna, Sarah, Rachel, Bernadette, Agnes, Rita, Monica, Elizabeth...there are so many great Saintly/Biblical girls' names....I really love them all! ;-)

    Would you kindly pray for my marriage; for continued health for my children and family, to know God's will about where to move; for a successful Lasik eye surgery, for conversion of hearts for my brothers and their families as well as my husband's side who have all fallen away from the church, for the graces to be a good wife and mother, and lastly for good health and fertility to have another baby--if be God's will!

    Thank you so much for your prayers, Mary! Rest assured I will be praying for you and your little one too!

    God bless!

    ReplyDelete
  32. You look wonderful. Please pray for a special intention.

    I am going to say girl. I know it doesn't mean anything, but lately I've had several "all boys" girlfriends have their 5th be a girl. My girl was my biggest, so I guess 8lbs 4oz. 38 wks 2days.

    I like Edith Mary for a girl, although Edith Marie might be better if only that it's not so Downton Abbey. If I'm wrong and it's a boy I love Blaise.

    ReplyDelete
  33. If it's not too late I have another prayer request. My nephew's 5 year old daughter Emi was just diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Anemia and is facing a very rough time of chemotherapy. And prayers for my nephew, Ryan who is trying to be such a strong dad for her. Thanks and God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not too late :) Just put it on the list…how hard for them. Thank you for letting me pray!

      Delete

Thank you for visiting and reading! I love hearing from readers so if a comment box on a post is turned off, it's because Blogger is terrible about filtering spam. If you'd like to send me a message, please use my contact page. Thank you!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.